First, This site has excellent tutorials on how to set up a home network. The TM2300 User Guide is available online here. A little pre-installation reading will go a long way.
Connecting your two PCs using the TM2300 is building a Local Area Network. You will be able to share the internet connection and perform File and Printer Sharing, if you so desire. This type of networking is called peer-to-peer networking - all the PCs are peers. So there is no host PC or client PC. The router, your TM2300, is a gateway to the internet and acts as an access point for the wireless PCs. Neither PC is an access point or gateway.
The TM2300 should be connected to the cable modem with a cat5 ethernet cable using the TM2300's internet port. Your desktop should be connected to the TM2300 using one of the TM2300's LAN ports. The laptop will connect to the TM2300 wirelessly.
There is a good chance your TM2300 will work straight out of the box. First unplug your modem and turn off the PCs. Then connect the desktop and TM2300 as mentioned above. Now turn on the modem and let it synchronize with the ISP, a minute or two. Next turn on the TM2300 and let it synchronize with the modem. Next trun on the desktop PC. See if Internet Explorer can reach the internet.
You mentioned that you have cable (vs. DSL) internet access. Some cable ISP require the registration of the MAC address of the device connecting to their network. Often this happens automatically the first time a device (PC or router) is connected to their network. If your desktop has been connected to the cable modem directly, you may have to register the MAC (also called physical) address of the router. There should be a sticker on the TM2300 with the MAC address, which will be in the format 00:11:22:33:44:55. You can also get arouns this by "cloning" the MAC address of the desktop PC into the router - basically tricking the ISP into thinking the PC is still connected to their network. See this page in the TM2300 online manual.
If you need to make changes to the settings in the TM2300, it's browser based configuration tool can be accessed by using IE and browsing to http://192.168.2.1.
I am on my desktop hooked to cable so I am wired but I still am getting "Page cannot be displayed" for both the my.router or IP address Paladin gave. I have not tried the router out of the box as of yet. I'm still trying to get the router setup cd to work on my desktop that has ME on it but for some reason cannot get to the my.router site.
The setup cd will only work in W2k or XP is what has been posted. You have to have the 2300 between your cable or DSL modem and your computers before using the http://my.router - that address is the 2300. In fact, just hooking it up (Internet port to the modem, LAN to the desktop) should have you on the internet right out of the box. You would login to the 2300 to change the password, change the channel if necessary, set security, etc.
Forget about installing that worthless control utility. Everything you need to do can be done through the browser based configuration utility, at the address indicated.
But your homework would have taught you that 192.168.2.1 is not a real internet address, as in a site on the internet. It is simply access to the TM2300's browser based configuration tool. Connect your desktop with an ethernet cable to the TM2300, start IE and enter http://192.168.2.1 in the address field. You will get the router's logon screen. You do not need to be connected to the internet to access this configuration tool.
Johnallg is correct. For now do not concern your self with the laptop and its wireless connection. The goal at this early stage is to get the TM2300 working with one wired PC connected to it. Once that works you can move on to the wireless stuff.
Thank you and John for your help. I did disconnect the modem and hooked up the router per your suggestion right out of the box and I did get the wireless enabled on the laptop. Now I am trying to figure out file and printer sharing etc. When I go to the IP address for the router it is asking me for a user name and password. Sorry for the question, but is this something I need to set up or if not where can I find the info?
"Now I am trying to figure out file and printer sharing etc." - If you had read the first link I gave you, you would have found File and Printer Sharing tutorials.
"When I go to the IP address for the router it is asking me for a user name and password." - No kidding. It's documented in the TM2300 User's Guide here.
In the box for the 2300 was a manual, and it covers everything you will need. Just don't use the cd and load the setup utility, do it manually. And the username and password are covered in the manual also. Read it cover to cover, but remember the manual setup area as that is what you will be using.
To expand on _Paladin's IP address explanation, IP addresses are arranged in a 3 x 4 array seperated by a period, ie. XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX - there are ranges of addresses reserved for the world to use for the internet, and there are ranges reserved for internal networks. 192.168.XXX.XXX are in the internal network range. For your 2300, the internet port that connects to the modem will have an address in the internet range (something like 216.100.100.100 (I made this up) that is given to it by your ISP) and the LAN connections will have addresses in the 192.168.2.XXX range.
The 2300 is a firewall computer talking to the world on the Internet port (also called WAN port), a DHCP server (IP address hander-outer ) on the LAN ports, and a website server for setting the router up (the my.router or 192.168.2.1) also on the LAN ports.
You also need to learn about wireless security, and enable WEP key encryption, MAC filtering, change the name of the SSID name for the 2300, and turn of the broadcasting of the SSID. Especially if you plan on having Sharing enabled otherwise anyone can join your router and network and freely steal all your data. [EDIT] But most important of all is to change the login password for the 2300!!
You two are really giving some good information here.
I've had one attempt at setting up my Parents-in-law's wireless network and for the most part it went well.
They live in another city so I only see them every month or so. They have the 1300 miniPCI and TM2300 solution as well. They have DSL, a Latitude D600 XPHome and desktop running 98SE.
I have been able to get them up and running as far as wireless access to the internet and the desktop can access the internet and email.
However, do you know of a reason why only the desktop could send/receive email and not the laptop?
Also, I went into try and change the default name and password as well as enable WEP. However, once I did this I lost wireless access. Should this be a straight forward enable and change? I will review the sites you have mentioned to di8158 and hopefully I'll find my solutions, if not (Schwarzenegger voice) I'll be back :)
I am leaving today after work to go visit them and I want to attempt again to enable WEP and change the default settings.
(start rant) I had called Dell support and first talked to someone about wireless, but when I called back minutes later to get more help, they said there is no wireless help on the weekends. WTF. Anyways I asked for the same person to whom I had just spoken by name just moments ago (I realize that support is done from India and they all change their names to something more North American like John or Sam) and they couldn't track that person down because nobody knew what each other's fake names were ;) After asking a bit more it turns out the person was sitting right beside the person I was talking to... left hand meet right hand :) Anyway they were able to help me to get where I am right now. (end rant)
I just hope they can give me wireless support tomorrow.
Just to add closure to my issue, I was able to get email working and change the default parameters.
I attibute my problems to having the XP firewall still on. As mentioned, if not here then on another post in this forum, the 2300 has a firewall so having the XP activated is redundant.
Thanks for you message. I've gone to the site you had mentioned and am still having trouble with file and print sharing. I do see file and print sharing showing up when I look at the network configuration on both the wireless laptop(inspiron 8600 w/mini 1400 dual ban ) and the desktop. As a reminder I am running ME on a dell desktop which is hooked to a cable modem and has the delltruemobile 2300 router attached. I can get on-line with the wireless. What I am seeing on the laptop is a red X through the LAN icon. It says a cable is unplugged. Is this why I am having a problem?
johnallg
2 Intern
•
7.3K Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 17:00
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 17:00
di8158,
First, This site has excellent tutorials on how to set up a home network. The TM2300 User Guide is available online here. A little pre-installation reading will go a long way.
Connecting your two PCs using the TM2300 is building a Local Area Network. You will be able to share the internet connection and perform File and Printer Sharing, if you so desire. This type of networking is called peer-to-peer networking - all the PCs are peers. So there is no host PC or client PC. The router, your TM2300, is a gateway to the internet and acts as an access point for the wireless PCs. Neither PC is an access point or gateway.
The TM2300 should be connected to the cable modem with a cat5 ethernet cable using the TM2300's internet port. Your desktop should be connected to the TM2300 using one of the TM2300's LAN ports. The laptop will connect to the TM2300 wirelessly.
There is a good chance your TM2300 will work straight out of the box. First unplug your modem and turn off the PCs. Then connect the desktop and TM2300 as mentioned above. Now turn on the modem and let it synchronize with the ISP, a minute or two. Next turn on the TM2300 and let it synchronize with the modem. Next trun on the desktop PC. See if Internet Explorer can reach the internet.
You mentioned that you have cable (vs. DSL) internet access. Some cable ISP require the registration of the MAC address of the device connecting to their network. Often this happens automatically the first time a device (PC or router) is connected to their network. If your desktop has been connected to the cable modem directly, you may have to register the MAC (also called physical) address of the router. There should be a sticker on the TM2300 with the MAC address, which will be in the format 00:11:22:33:44:55. You can also get arouns this by "cloning" the MAC address of the desktop PC into the router - basically tricking the ISP into thinking the PC is still connected to their network. See this page in the TM2300 online manual.
If you need to make changes to the settings in the TM2300, it's browser based configuration tool can be accessed by using IE and browsing to http://192.168.2.1.
di8158
4 Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 17:00
Hello,
I am on my desktop hooked to cable so I am wired but I still am getting "Page cannot be displayed" for both the my.router or IP address Paladin gave. I have not tried the router out of the box as of yet. I'm still trying to get the router setup cd to work on my desktop that has ME on it but for some reason cannot get to the my.router site.
johnallg
2 Intern
•
7.3K Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 18:00
Ahhhh,
The setup cd will only work in W2k or XP is what has been posted. You have to have the 2300 between your cable or DSL modem and your computers before using the http://my.router - that address is the 2300. In fact, just hooking it up (Internet port to the modem, LAN to the desktop) should have you on the internet right out of the box. You would login to the 2300 to change the password, change the channel if necessary, set security, etc.
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 18:00
di8158,
You haven't done your homework yet.
Forget about installing that worthless control utility. Everything you need to do can be done through the browser based configuration utility, at the address indicated.
But your homework would have taught you that 192.168.2.1 is not a real internet address, as in a site on the internet. It is simply access to the TM2300's browser based configuration tool. Connect your desktop with an ethernet cable to the TM2300, start IE and enter http://192.168.2.1 in the address field. You will get the router's logon screen. You do not need to be connected to the internet to access this configuration tool.
Johnallg is correct. For now do not concern your self with the laptop and its wireless connection. The goal at this early stage is to get the TM2300 working with one wired PC connected to it. Once that works you can move on to the wireless stuff.
di8158
4 Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 21:00
_Paladin
795 Posts
0
November 13th, 2003 22:00
di8158,
"Now I am trying to figure out file and printer sharing etc." - If you had read the first link I gave you, you would have found File and Printer Sharing tutorials.
"When I go to the IP address for the router it is asking me for a user name and password." - No kidding. It's documented in the TM2300 User's Guide here.
johnallg
2 Intern
•
7.3K Posts
0
November 14th, 2003 00:00
In the box for the 2300 was a manual, and it covers everything you will need. Just don't use the cd and load the setup utility, do it manually. And the username and password are covered in the manual also. Read it cover to cover, but remember the manual setup area as that is what you will be using.
To expand on _Paladin's IP address explanation, IP addresses are arranged in a 3 x 4 array seperated by a period, ie. XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX - there are ranges of addresses reserved for the world to use for the internet, and there are ranges reserved for internal networks. 192.168.XXX.XXX are in the internal network range. For your 2300, the internet port that connects to the modem will have an address in the internet range (something like 216.100.100.100 (I made this up) that is given to it by your ISP) and the LAN connections will have addresses in the 192.168.2.XXX range.
The 2300 is a firewall computer talking to the world on the Internet port (also called WAN port), a DHCP server (IP address hander-outer
) on the LAN ports, and a website server for setting the router up (the my.router or 192.168.2.1) also on the LAN ports.
When you get it all running I would spend time at www.linksys.com/edu and www.homenethelp.com/ to get a better grasp on what is going on.
You also need to learn about wireless security, and enable WEP key encryption, MAC filtering, change the name of the SSID name for the 2300, and turn of the broadcasting of the SSID. Especially if you plan on having Sharing enabled otherwise anyone can join your router and network and freely steal all your data. [EDIT] But most important of all is to change the login password for the 2300!!
Message Edited by johnallg on 11-13-2003 09:43 PM
Mako
14 Posts
0
November 14th, 2003 18:00
John and Paladin,
You two are really giving some good information here.
I've had one attempt at setting up my Parents-in-law's wireless network and for the most part it went well.
They live in another city so I only see them every month or so. They have the 1300 miniPCI and TM2300 solution as well. They have DSL, a Latitude D600 XPHome and desktop running 98SE.
I have been able to get them up and running as far as wireless access to the internet and the desktop can access the internet and email.
However, do you know of a reason why only the desktop could send/receive email and not the laptop?
Also, I went into try and change the default name and password as well as enable WEP. However, once I did this I lost wireless access. Should this be a straight forward enable and change? I will review the sites you have mentioned to di8158 and hopefully I'll find my solutions, if not (Schwarzenegger voice) I'll be back :)
I am leaving today after work to go visit them and I want to attempt again to enable WEP and change the default settings.
(start rant) I had called Dell support and first talked to someone about wireless, but when I called back minutes later to get more help, they said there is no wireless help on the weekends. WTF. Anyways I asked for the same person to whom I had just spoken by name just moments ago (I realize that support is done from India and they all change their names to something more North American like John or Sam) and they couldn't track that person down because nobody knew what each other's fake names were ;) After asking a bit more it turns out the person was sitting right beside the person I was talking to... left hand meet right hand :) Anyway they were able to help me to get where I am right now. (end rant)
I just hope they can give me wireless support tomorrow.
Cheers
Mako
14 Posts
0
November 17th, 2003 14:00
Just to add closure to my issue, I was able to get email working and change the default parameters.
I attibute my problems to having the XP firewall still on. As mentioned, if not here then on another post in this forum, the 2300 has a firewall so having the XP activated is redundant.
Cheers
di8158
4 Posts
0
November 21st, 2003 14:00
Hello John,
Thanks for you message. I've gone to the site you had mentioned and am still having trouble with file and print sharing. I do see file and print sharing showing up when I look at the network configuration on both the wireless laptop(inspiron 8600 w/mini 1400 dual ban ) and the desktop. As a reminder I am running ME on a dell desktop which is hooked to a cable modem and has the delltruemobile 2300 router attached. I can get on-line with the wireless. What I am seeing on the laptop is a red X through the LAN icon. It says a cable is unplugged. Is this why I am having a problem?